There are many prior art devices and methods for the cultivation of cells. Some such devices and methods provide for the free suspension of cells or organisms in the culture mediums (this is unacceptable for anchorage dependent samples), agar overlays (environment is not suitable for some types of cells or organisms), impalement (harmful to organisms studied) and growth on microscope coverslips or slides (less of the sample is contained near the axis of rotation).
There are various patents which relate to the cultivation of biology cells. U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,396, for example, discloses the general concept of attaching and growing cells on one side or surface of a hollow fiber membrane. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,686,754, 3,540,700 and 3,732,149 generally disclose rotating apparatus for cell growth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,258 discloses apparatus for growth of crystal material in space, and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,922 discloses an artificial capillary bundle for cell culture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,136 discloses an apparatus for cellular structure wherein a suspension of anchorage cells is introduced into a culture vessel containing a plurality of hollow tubes, and the culture vessel is rotated in such a manner and at a speed effective to cause adhesion of the cells on the inner walls of the culture vessel, and on the inner and outer walls of the tubes.
None of the above discloses the use of a hollow fiber having test organisms, including mammalian cells therein, which is supported in a culture vessel mounted in a rotating clinostat having tensioning means to maintain the fiber along the axis of rotation during rotation of the clinostat. The device simulates a microgravity within the test fiber.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a ground based apparatus for simulating microgravity on cell systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such apparatus with rotation means for simulating the microgravity environment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such apparatus with a culture chamber for support of a cell containing fiber therein, the fiber being mounted for rotation with the culture chamber.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus with tensioning means for applying a predetermined tensile force on said fiber for maintaining the fiber in alignment with the axis of rotation of the vessel.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide such apparatus with alignment means for maintaining the tensioning means in alignment along the axis of rotation of the rotation means.